I must respectfully disagree with the title of this CD. While some of these recordings are priceless and glorious, others are not and later artists (who do not appear in the Pearl catalog, needless to say) have achieved far more in the art of bel canto. The greats are: Ponselle’s magisterial “Casta diva”, both mysterious and regal, ditto her “Mira o Norma” with Marion Telva; Galli-Curci’s Sonnambula excerpts, never more touching or lightly sung; Pinza’s two Norma arias (though who would buy a CD for these dreary pieces?); and Schipa’s partnering of Toti dal Monte and Galli-Curci in Sonnambula duets. Callas’ 1949 Puritani scene is luscious, but she sang (and acted) it better later; Chaliapin is wasted in Rodolfo’s simple-minded aria from Sonnambula; Lauri-Volpi, for all his passion, style, and steel, has the wrong voice for Bellini; and Tetrazzini’s “Ah! Non giunge” is, I’ve always felt, an empty display. Disagree with everything if you’d like, but Bellini was better served after 1950 than he was in the previous 50 years. [6/21/2001]
